In Greek mythology, Agenor was a Phoenician king of Tyre or Sidon, twin brother of Belus in the common stemma from Poseidon and Libya. Father of Europa and of sons including Cadmus, Phoenix, and Cilix, he sent his children to search for Europa after Zeus abducted her—and forbade their return without her. Distinct from Trojan, Argive, and other homonyms in the atlas.
Adapted from Wikipedia, "Agenor" · CC BY-SA 4.0
I.Phoenician kingship and family
Most handbooks make Agenor and Belus twin sons of Poseidon and Libya: Belus stays in Egypt while Agenor rules in Phoenicia. Other genealogies make him son of Belus and brother of Aegyptus and Danaus. Wives named include Telephassa, Argiope, Antiope, Damno, and Tyro; children commonly include Europa, Cadmus, Cilix, and Phoenix, with Phineus, Thasus, and others in some lists.
Homer and early catalogues sometimes make Europa daughter of Phoenix rather than of Agenor directly. Later mythographers usually list Cadmus and Cilix as Agenor's sons whether or not Phoenix appears as brother or son. Herodotus estimated Agenor's date far back from his own visit to Tyre.
II.The search for Europa
Zeus, as a white bull, carried Europa from the Phoenician shore to Crete. Agenor ordered her brothers—Cadmus and Cilix, and in fuller versions Phoenix, Phineus, or Thasus—to find her and not return without her. None succeeded; each settled abroad and gave his name to a land or people.
Cadmus, guided by Delphi, followed a cow to the site of Thebes. Virgil can call Carthage "the city of Agenor" by Dido's descent; later writers also credit Agenor or his line with introducing letters that Cadmus brought to Greece.